Joseph Daniel probably came to Virginia some time prior to 1677.
In 1714 he was granted land in Nansemond County, Virginia, the land was eventually part of Chowan County, and then Gates County, North Carolina.
From "Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III," by Nell Marion Nugent, page 160: JOSEPH DANIEL, 205 acres (New Land) Upper Parish of Nansemond County; on West side of the Honey Pot Swamp; adjacent Colonel Baker; on Bennetts Creek; 16 Dec 1714, Land Office Patents No. 10, 1710-1719, p. 204. Importation of four persons: Abigail Fitzgarrell, Dinah Milour, William Oagle, James Watkinson.
According to The North Carolina Gazetteer, by William S. Powell, Honey Pot Swamp rises in central Gates County and flows into Bennetts Creek. Gates was formed in 1779, and most of the land had been Chowan County prior to 1759, so this grant was indeed in Chowan County, NC. And we know that Simon Daniel, son of JOSEPH, was on Bennetts Creek, due to the petition he signed at some date after 1734.
In 1728 Richard Odam disputed Joseph Daniel's Virginia patent to land on Honey Pot Swamp, but no copy of his requested North Carolina patent has been found in Margaret Hofmann's "Province of North Carolina 1663 - 1729 Abstracts of Land Patents. This would suggest that Richard Odam's petition, which follows, was rejected, or that the record of the subsequent patent has been lost.
The Colonial Records of NC (second series) Vol. VII Records of The Executive Council 1664-1734: 6 Aug 1728 Read the Petition of Richard ODAM Shewing that in the year 1704 he Entered four hundred acres of Land on the Honey Pot Swamp as by a Copy of said entry appears, and that Joseph DANIEL Knoeing the said Entry procured as Virginia Survey and patent for the same Land calling it Two hundred and five acres altho this said Land then and now is part of this Province [Chowan Precinct] Praying a Caveat may be Entered against the said Josph DANIELS obtaining a Patent for the said Land and that he be permitted to proceed and Survey his entry and Patent the same.
Thereupon it is ordered that Summons Issue to the Partied requiring them to Attend next Board.
Early Records of North Carolina Vol. 9
Carroll ~ Case against Cook 25 May 1724. Thomas Hamond Jr late of Virginia & Thomas Parris of Edenton in Chowan Precinct give their bond to Christopher Gale Chief Justice in the sum of £250. The condition of the bond was that sd Thomas Hammond Jr, who had commenced an action on behalf of James & Daniel Carroll executors of Charles Carroll decd, against Thomas Cook for £150 sterling to be heard at General Court at Edenton the last in Jul next, would pay the costs & damages should he fail to prosecute the sd suit. Wit: W. Badham, Clement Hammond. Onback: Ann Vann age 78 testified that she knew Joseph Daniel decd late of Nansmond Co VA & that he now has 3 living Sons & 1 daughter, namely, Joseph, Simon, & William Daniel the sons & [blank]
Since Joseph Daniel was deceased, Ann Vann's testimony was needed to establish the names of his sons. Ann Vann was perhaps related to the William Vann (Vaun) of Nansemond County, whose patent date, 16 Dec 1714, is the same date as Joseph Daniel's patent there: William Vaun (Vann); 130 acres (New Land), Upper Parish of Nansemond County; at a place called Starrum (Sarum Creek, now called Coles Creek, in present day Gates County, NC); adjacent Peter Phebus; & Charles Scott's line; 16 December 1714, page 203, Land Office Patents No. 10, 1710-1719; Import of three persons: Patrick Lawler, Eliza. Lawler, David Lawler. (Cavaliers & Pioneers, Vol. III, page 160) For an additional excursus on William Vann see Dick Fox's compilation on the Vann Family of Nansemond and Chowan at: http://members.tripod.com/~dickdfox/index-vanngen1_5.htm William Vann left records in the Bennett's Creek area of Chowan (later Gates) County until his death there in 1740.
It it not clear whether Ann was perhaps an unmarried sister of William Vann, or whether she was a sister of Joseph Daniel, married to an unnamed Vann, etc. At the time, she was considered a suffiently reliable witness to have her testimony heard in court, to establish the relationship between Joseph Daniel and his three sons, Joseph, William, and Simon. The original documents relating to this case should be checked for further clues, including the will and estate records of Charles Carroll, deceased.
